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Tillerson: North Korea Missile is ‘Threat’ to America

Updated 07.04.17 11:27PM ET / Published 07.03.17 11:01PM ET

Denis Balibouse

North Korea conducted a missile test on Tuesday and claimed it was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could strike anywhere in the world. Later Tuesday, CNN and NBC reported that U.S. officials “believe” the missile was, in fact, an ICBM, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a statement declaring the launch “a new escalation of the threat to the United States, our allies and partners, the region, and the world.” Tillerson also warned that the U.S. would be seeking redress with the UN security council over Pyongyang’s actions and that Trump’s administration would “enact stronger measures to hold the DPRK accountable.” The launch was into the sea towards Japan, South Korea’s military said. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch came from North Pyongan province. Japanese authorities said the missile was thought to have landed in the country’s exclusive economic zone, though there were no reports of damage to ships in the area. The latest launch, which came on the eve of America’s Independence Day holiday, followed a series of missile tests in recent months that have raised fears of Pyongyang becoming capable of launching a missile at the U.S. In the wake of the latest launch, President Trump took to Twitter to ask whether China will “put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all.” Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, meeting Tuesday in Moscow, called on North Korea to cease all nuclear and missile activities, and asked the U.S. and South Korea to halt joint military exercises.